nicd

mobile devices battery life

Executive Summary: if you don't use a feature, turn it off.  from WiFi to push email to GPS, screen brighness, even MP3 equalizer and the phone itself!  The more it does the more the battery will be used.

Lithium batteries (blackberry 8120, iPhone, laptops)

Official iPhone battery info here

"Initialize a new battery. New batteries should be fully charged before their first use to obtain maximum capacity. Nickel-based batteries should be charged for 16 hours initially and run through 2-4 full charge/full discharge cycles, while lithium ion batteries should be charged for about 5-6 hours. Ignore the phone telling you that the battery is full--this is normal but is not accurate if the battery is not initialized. #DO NOT fully discharge a lithium-ion battery! Unlike Ni-Cd batteries, lithium-ion batteries' life is shortened every time you fully discharge them. Instead, charge them when the battery meter shows one bar left. Lithium-ion batteries, like most rechargable batteries have a set amount of chargers in them.[1]